A DOG attacked a man while he was chatting with its owner over their garden wall in Bradford, a court heard.

Glen Yardley’s white and black mixed-breed Staffordshire bull terrier clamped its jaw on Stephen Leach’s arm and “ragged its head about for a bit”.

Bradford and Keighley Magistrates’ Court heard that Mr Leach had been leaning on the wall chatting to Yardley (pictured) and drinking a bottle of lager.

Prosecutor Malcolm Christy said: “The dog was running around the defendant’s garden and without warning jumped up at the wall and clamped its jaw round the man’s arm.”

Mr Leach needed two operations and has a five-inch scar shaped like a horse-shoe, the court heard.

Yardley, 34, of Silverdale Road, West Bowling, Bradford, admitted being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury.

The court heard that the dog he had owned for four years had never been a problem before and that Yardley had no previous convictions. Reg Le Pla, mitigating, said Yardley had put up a fence on the wall following the attack as an added preventative measure.

He added that Yardley had immediately tried to get the dog off Mr Leach, and said: “My client’s first thought were the injuries to the victim.”

Yardley was ordered to pay £250 compensation to Mr Leach and £85 costs. He must also have the dog muzzled and on a lead when it is in a public place, otherwise a contingent destruction order will come into force.